AURORA | Cherry Creek schools teachers say a new poll of voters in the district shows that district leaders and administrators are getting failing grades when it comes to eliciting the public’s trust.
“The results of this poll confirm what I’ve heard over and over in conversations with educators — there’s deep concern regarding failed leadership and lack of transparency at the top levels of our district,” Cherry Creek Education Association President Carlye Holladay said in a statement. “They also want to be proud of their district again.”
The district has been rocked with a series of scandals beginning this year when former Superintendent Chris Smith abruptly resigned and retired from leading the 53,000-student school district.
School district officials said they’re aware of the public consternation and have been actively addressing it.
“Cherry Creek Schools agrees that transparency, accountability, and public trust are essential to the success of our district,” said Cherry Creek school district spokesperson Abbe Smith.
School district leaders said that since interim Superintendent Jennifer Perry was appointed to lead the district, oversight, transparency and accountability have been a priority for all district operations.
Chris Smith’s resignation came amid media scrutiny stemming from a Denver 7 News investigation in which district employees described what they characterized as a toxic work environment. Sources for the 7 News report also raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest because Smith and the district’s chief human resources officer, Brenda Smith, were married.
She was placed on administrative leave in early February and fired in May after an investigation into potential nepotism, and abuse of district travel funds.
Brenda Smith was fired by Interim Superintendent Jennifer Perry, previously deputy superintendent amid what district board members and officials said was an ongoing investigation into complaints about policy abuses, travel budget abuses and incidents of a “toxic” work environment.
The firing followed the forced resignation of a newly elected board member accused of making racist remarks in public.
After former Cherry Creek school board member Terry Bates School resigned, board members said only that Bates’ remarks were “inappropriate” and that school board members had proof he had made similar remarks before being elected last November.
The Denver Post, after filing an open records request, revealed that Bates had on three occasions asked people if they came to the United States by using a “coyote.” The term refers to people who illegally smuggle immigrants into the United States.
Local parent Keith Frazer was appointed to Bates’ seat in June.
Beginning in the summer, the board froze certain travel and new contracts and began reviewing district policies related to nepotism and conflicts of interest. The results of those investigations are still outstanding.
In August, the district began a nationwide search for a new superintendent, and teacher union officials say the voters polled in late July had strong feelings about the search and other district operations.
“In the next Superintendent, an overwhelming majority wants to see candidates who bring a fresh perspective and new approach to the district,” union officials said about the poll. “This sentiment is widely held across the political spectrum.”
School district officials said applications for the new superintendent close Oct. 15. They expect to conduct candidate interviews in December and make a final decision by the end of January 2027.
The poll, conducted by Aspect Strategic, was based on responses from 400 active voters in the school district, sourced from voter files. Aspect pollsters said the margin of error of the poll is plus or minus 4.9%.
Those polled said they overwhelmingly believe that teachers and community should have the most input into who the next superintendent is and only 43% of those polled think the school board should be the most compelling voice in making that selection.
“Our community is calling out for more transparency, more accountability, and more honesty about decisions being made at the top,” Holladay said.
While those polled still believe the school district does a good job educating students, about half of those polled believe the district is a poor steward of tax dollars and is not transparent or accountable to the public. About a quarter of those polled believe the district does well on those issues, according to poll results.
At the same time, the poll reveals that about 82% of those polled believe district teachers are doing a good job in the district.
“We recognize that trust is earned through actions,” school district officials said. “Over the past several months, district leadership has implemented a number of measures designed to strengthen financial stewardship and reinforce public confidence.”
District officials pointed to changes in travel guidelines for school officials, including requirements for documentation.
In addition, the school board now requires board approval for all contracts over $250,000. Previously, the threshold was $400,000.
The school board began a districtwide audit, focusing on a wide variety of operations and processes. The results of that audit are expected next month.
Also, district officials say a review of conflict-of-interest and ethics policy is underway and expected to propose changes some time this fall.
District officials said most of these changes and proposals are listed on a school district accountability website page.
“To date, the search has included more than 1,600 survey responses from parents, staff, and community members, along with numerous stakeholder focus groups representing families, employees, multilingual communities, parent organizations, and employee groups, including the Cherry Creek Education Association,” district officials said in a statement.
Holladay said teachers, and she believes the community as well, want more.
“After the events of the past year, this community needs to know that our next superintendent was vetted and chosen through an open, transparent process, no matter who is ultimately selected,” Holladay said. “Educators, students, and parents deserve to trust this district’s leadership, and rebuilding that trust starts now. I hope that the Board of Education will respond to the clear call from our community.”
Click here to see the full report on the polling.
“We recognize that trust is earned through actions,” officials said. “Over the past several months, district leadership has implemented a number of measures designed to strengthen financial stewardship and reinforce public confidence.”
District officials pointed to changes in travel guidelines for school officials, including requirements for documentation.
In addition, the school board now requires board approval for all contracts over $250,000. Previously, the threshold was $400,000.
The school board began a districtwide audit, focusing on a wide variety of operations and processes. The results of that audit are expected next month.
Also, district officials say a review of conflict-of-interest and ethics policy is underway and expected to propose changes some time this fall.
District officials said most of these changes and proposals are listed on a school district accountability website page.
“To date, the search has included more than 1,600 survey responses from parents, staff, and community members, along with numerous stakeholder focus groups representing families, employees, multilingual communities, parent organizations, and employee groups, including the Cherry Creek Education Association,” officials said.
School board members said they’re committed to ensuring the hiring process for the next superintendent will be community focused and transparent.
“Selecting the next superintendent is among the most important decisions the Board of Education will make,” school board members said in a joint statement. “We are committed to a comprehensive, transparent, and inclusive process that reflects the values of our community and results in a leader who will build on Cherry Creek’s tradition of excellence and help prepare our students for the future.”